Are you aware that the State of Ohio does not have a poet laureate? State Senator Eric Kearney is sponsoring legislation to change this. He joins our Barbara Gray during National Poetry Month to talk about the role of a poet laureate, how one would be selected, and the status of Senate Bill 84.

Despite owing nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in unpaid state and federal taxes, State Sen. Eric Kearney made it clear Wednesday morning that he has no intention of stepping down as the Democratic candidate for Ohio lieutenant governor.

“I’m in it to stay,’’ the North Avondale Democrat said in a teleconference with Ohio reporters that lasted well over an hour Wednesday. “My wife and I made the decision that we’re going to do this and we’re going to do it; and we’re here to follow it through.”

If old guard Republicans in Hamilton County were the type to use Internet slang, they might be typing “smh” when they see what is going on with their county and the Ohio Democratic Party these days.

“Scratching my head,’’ for those who don’t keep up with internet slang.

There was a time, a few decades ago, when the Ohio Democratic Party barely acknowledged the existence of Hamilton County; they turned their heads and pretended extreme southwest corner of the state didn’t exist because it was so thoroughly Republican.

Ohio Governor john Kasich wants to expand the state’s Medicaid program, but is getting push-back from conservative Republicans in the General Assembly. Kasich, Ohio Democratic legislators and other proponents of Medicaid expansion say it will save the state money and insure more Ohioans, but opponents claim it will cause Ohio to lose jobs and increase the state’s cost to cover health care.

2012 was supposed to be a slow year at the Statehouse, with half of the seats in the Ohio Senate on the ballot, and with the two-year budget firmly in place. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler sat down with the departing Senate president and the minority leader to talk about the year that was – and what’s ahead.

There are quite a few Ohio ties on this first day of the Democratic National Convention from the Health and Human Services secretary to a Cincinnati firefighter who spoke out against Ohio Senate Bill 5. WVXU's Howard Wilkinson chats with Mark Heyne:

A state senator from Cincinnati is introducing a bill that would let taxpayers get their income tax refund on a prepaid debit card.

Sen. Eric Kearney said the state needs to adjust to the marketplace.

“This prepaid debit card program will benefit those citizens that do not have a bank account for direct deposit, or for those who wish to avoid the hassle with paper checks and check cashing fees,” Kearney said in a statement. “They will also be able to use their prepaid debit cards in stores, online, over the phone, or anywhere that accepts debit cards.”